Langenfeld on short list for job in Minn.

GREEN BAY – The Green Bay Area Public School District could soon be on the hunt again for a new top administrator.

With less than three years on the job, Michelle Langenfeld may soon leave her post as Green Bay schools superintendent. She’s one of three finalists for the superintendent job for Anoka-Hennepin schools in Minnesota.

“At this point we’re just waiting to see what she decides to do. The superintendent position opened up in her home district and she decided to explore that opportunity,” School Board President Brenda Warren said over the phone.

Langenfeld declined to go on camera Thursday.

She previously worked as an associate superintendent for Anoka-Hennepin. A spokesperson told me Langenfeld is the only one out of the three candidates who currently is a superintendent, which makes her the most experienced.

School board president Brenda Warren told me losing Langenfeld could make things difficult.

“As our board, we’ve been very pleased with the work that she’s done and we’re certainly hoping she’ll stay in Green Bay but that’s ultimately her decision to make,” said Warren. “It certainly slows down any progress that you would make if you have a superintendent turnover that is that quick.”

Langenfeld’s predecessor, Greg Maass, also only stayed with the district for three years.

We asked the director of the Wisconsin Association of School District Administrators if shorter tenure is a growing trend.

“We’ve seen a pretty clear trend of declining longevity for superintendents in communities for a variety of reasons. At one time when it wouldn’t be unusual to see people for 20 years or longer in a school district that’s very unusual these days,” said John Bales, the WASDA director.

Langenfeld currently makes $190,000 a year–the highest paid district administrator in our area.

Bales says Wisconsin trends lower in the nation for pay of administrators.

So, Langenfeld could possibly receive a raise if she lands the new job.

According to the Anoka-Hennepin school district officials, Langenfeld’s final interview will be Wednesday.